15For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

15For all things are for your sakes,

“All things” are the afflictions and labor of the gospel team (vv. 8-11). The suffering that Paul’s team endured was for the sake of the Corinthian church (2 Ti 2:10). They did not consider their safety because of their love of Christ and concern for the lost.

that grace,

God’s design is that the Corinthian believers might understand His grace.

having spread through the many,

It was Paul’s desire that the grace of God would spread so much that many without Christ will appreciate it. God multiplies grace when more and more people come to Christ (1 Pe 1:2; 2 Pe 1:2; Jude 2).

may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

Many people became Christians based on God’s grace. Because God made all the provisions of salvation, grace glorifies what He did. The ultimate purpose of creation is the glory of God.

PRINCIPLE:

We need to keep the penultimate and ultimate in perspective.

APPLICATION:

There is a difference between the penultimate and the ultimate purpose of God. The penultimate is the second to last, and the ultimate is the last in priority. The next to last purpose of God is to win many as possible to Jesus; the final or ultimate purpose of God is to give God glory for all that He does for us. It is vital to put our ministry into the penultimate and ultimate perspective. Evangelism is for the ultimate purpose of bringing glory to God. He deserves the distinction for providing the gospel.

14knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.

14knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus

The Greek word for “knowing” indicates firm conviction. This firm conviction comes from an objective fact–the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

will also raise us up with Jesus,

The gospel team will rise from the dead in the future (1 Co 15:51-52; 1 Th 4:13-18). This is a corporate event where all believers will join the resurrection of Jesus.

and will present us with you.

The Corinthians will rise from the dead with the team as well. The Greek word for “present” means to cause to stand, to place beside. All Christians will stand before Jesus one day.

PRINCIPLE:

The resurrection is a motivation for enduring hardship.

APPLICATION:

Christians have confidence because of the resurrection of Christ and their resurrection. It is the incentive for our service. Death does not daunt those who serve Christ because they know there is a brighter future ahead. Death is not the end but the great gateway into the presence of God for the Christian.

13And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak,

13And since we have the same spirit of faith,

Paul’s team had the same spirit of robust faith, as did the author of Psalm 116.

according to what is written,

The following is a quotation from Psalm 116:10, which refers to the anguish of the grave. Paul quotes this Psalm to bring out the importance of the conviction of faith to endure hardships in ministry.

“I believed and therefore I spoke,”

Ministry flows from one’s faith. People of faith persist in speaking regardless of the problems they encounter. The belief that Paul speaks of here is the resurrection (v. 14).

we also believe and therefore speak,

Genuine faith calls for the telling of what one believes (Ro 10:10).

PRINCIPLE:

Knowing whom and what we believe impels witness.

APPLICATION:

The content of our faith is too much to keep to self. It demands that we share it with others. It shares Christ, regardless of the consequences. This comes from an earnest conviction from what is true.

The ultimate conclusion of the gospel team’s suffering has a purpose. They endured pain, but the Corinthian church benefited from it.

death is working in us,

The process of death working in Paul’s team had no saving power, but it produced fruit. Because as non-Christians the Corinthians saw how this group handled death looming over them constantly, they became Christians. There was a cause-effect to their becoming believers. Previously they belonged to a temporal order, but now they saw the eternal order of these witnesses for Christ.

but life in you.

Corinthians heard the gospel, believed it and received eternal life because of it. Just as Christ brought everlasting life to the Corinthians through His death, the life-threatening ministry of Paul’s team bore the triumphant fruit of evangelism.

PRINCIPLE:

Maximum pressure produces fruit.

APPLICATION:

The permanent life of the risen Jesus enables Christians to suffer persecution willingly. Those without Christ constantly watch the way believers handle their problems. All the torture, scorn, and means of death are from an order that will pass away. That time will pass, but God’s time will continue forever. The believer who lives in the light of eternal values will have an effective life for Christ.

11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

11 For

The “for” explains that the testimony of patient suffering will be a part of every Christian’s life.

we [Christians] who live

Paul’s team lived in peril of death so that the life of Jesus might manifest itself to others.

are always delivered to death

The team constantly exposed themselves to death in ministry (2 Co 1:9). The word “delivered” means to be handed over. God handed over the gospel team to suffering. Again, the word “always” implies that this handing over was always present in their ministry.

for Jesus’ sake,

The “for” here is cause. Everything we do on earth is because of Jesus. We are His representatives in time and space.

that [purpose] the life of Jesus also

“The life of Jesus” is the resurrected life of Jesus. The team clearly was alive spiritually (2 Co 4:16). There is a close correlation between God delivering Paul’s team to death and “life” in Corinthian believers. Without the sacrifice of the team in giving the gospel to the church, they would not have the opportunity to believe God’s message.

Death and life are usual opposites, but in the gospel team’s case, they unite as constant companions.

may be manifested in our mortal flesh [physical body].

The power of Christ’s life was manifest in the team, in their bodies of decay. The life of Jesus manifested itself in their physical bodies (Php 2:17; Co 1:24; 2 Ti 2:10). Their bodies were transitory in time; however, they received a permanent and eternal body in the heaven.

PRINCIPLE:

The suffering that comes from delivering the gospel message gives content to our message.

APPLICATION:

A person in ministry who does not succumb to its problems demonstrates the power of the life of Jesus. God’s sovereign hand through the believer’s suffering brings benefits to those who receive the message. Despite overwhelming tribulations, no one defeated the team.

God’s purpose is to display the excellence of who and what Christ is. Many of the ways God uses to do this are not easy on us. However, those without Christ will link the dynamics of our life with the greatness of Jesus.

10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

Verses 12-13 show that the suffering Paul’s team endured was for the purpose of serving the Lord Jesus. The resurrection power of Christ enabled them to do this. All the problems in verses 8 and 9 amount to carrying the death of Jesus in one’s body.

10 always carrying about in the body

Paul’s team experience life-threatening situations for the cause of Christ (1 Co. 4:11; 2 Co. 6:5, 9; 11:23–25; Ga. 6:17). They exposed themselves to the possibility of death for Christ. This threat was “always” present in their ministry. It was a way of life for them (Ro 8:36; 1 Co 15:31). The team always proclaim the death of Jesus, and the possibility of physical death was their constant companion.

the dying of the Lord Jesus,

This phrase refers to the fourfold distress of verses 8 and 9.

There are two primary Greek words for death. One means the event of death itself, but the other refers to the process of dying (our verse). The word here is not the common word for death; the only other occurrence is Romans 4:19. This word describes the course of dying, weakening, and decomposition. Danger constantly surrounded the team (2 Co 11:26). They identified with the Lord Jesus’ life of suffering.

that [goal] the life of Jesus also may be manifested [revealed] in our body.

The name “Jesus” by itself refers to the humanity of Christ. Here it refers to His physical suffering. The patient physical suffering of the gospel team also manifested the power of the living Christ. By this, the Corinthians can witness their victory over hardship.

PRINCIPLE:

Serving the Lord means that we make our lives expendable for Him.

APPLICATION:

God’s goal for what we experience is to reveal Christ to others. The sufferings of Christ work themselves out in our lives. They point to Christ. If we allow selfish ambitions to dominate our way of life, then those without Christ will not be able to see what He has done for us. We ourselves may never know the specific purpose of many of these experiences.

The gospel, by its nature, brings affliction to the one who delivers it. Anyone who gives themselves to ministry will face challenges. Ministry is no bed of roses. No doubt, there are many compensations and blessings in ministry, but it will have its problems.

“Struck down” means that enemies of Paul’s gospel team hunted them down and harmed them. They suffered physical violence from their enemies; however, God was with them even during this adversity. Their opponents never reached the point of destroying the team’s ministry. They were knocked down but not out.

No one could drive the gospel team from the field of battle. No matter what conflict may come, God was with them through it all.

PRINCIPLE:

Victory is not what we experience, but how we experience it.

APPLICATION:

Biblical victory is not an escape from problems in ministry, but how we trust God through it all. The demands of ministry require divine enablement. We do not find comfort in conquest, but in how we handle difficulties in ministry.

Although Paul’s team faced persecution, God did not forsake them (Josh 1:5; Deut 4:31; 31:6, 8; 2 Ti 4:16-17). Their enemies pursued or hunted them like fugitives, but they were not alone even though others sought to harm them. God never deserts or abandons His own (Mt 28:20; He 13:5). He always stays with people in ministry, no matter how many people attempt to destroy their ministry. People pursued them, but God’s presence never left them.

PRINCIPLE:

God never abandons ministers in the will of God.

APPLICATION:

Persecution, often verbal, is part of the ministry. When people fail us, God does not (He 13:5). The only time there are five Greek negatives in a row in the New Testament is in Hebrews 13:5 – “I will never, never, never, never, ever leave you.” Where men pursue us, we find God’s presence. Our adversaries afford us a new advantage to trust God’s presence with us.

God uses problems, set back, persecution to show His power. If the believer tries to address his issues in his own strength, he will face burnout. Christians should not attempt to be perfectionistic in their ministry. God always works in our limitations and failures. Limitations in ministry are not a liability but an asset when one depends on God to get him through his issues.

8We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

we are perplexed, but not in despair;

“Perplexed” and “despair” are similar words in the Greek implying total despair. “Perplexed” is to be in a state of confusion as to the why God allowed their problems to hit them so hard. From a human viewpoint, they saw no way out of their situation. Yet the team was not in “despair” or at wit’s end; they never allowed their confusion to discourage them because they knew that God is sovereignly working in their troubles. Because of this, they are stressed, but not stressed out; they were at the point of defeat, but not at the place where they were utterly baffled.

PRINCIPLE:

Although ministry may have many perplexities, we do not have to have all the answers.

APPLICATION:

The enemies of ministry often bring pastors to their wit’s end, where they hardly know which way to turn, but those who depend on God never give up hope or surrender to the enemy. Ministers may question the way out of the problem, but those who trust in God will never surrender or give up hope.

Although we may see no way out of our problem, God is control of our situation, and He sees the end from the beginning. God uses trial to build the believer. The end of our resources is not the ending of God’s provisions. The cessation of trusting self is the place where God works.

8We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

Verse 7 stated that Paul’s team carried the treasure of divine power in their ministry. Verses 8 and 9 describe their difficulty in carrying out their ministry as finite human beings. The power lies in their God, not in them as individuals. There is a vast difference between their weakness and God’s power.

In verses 8 and 9, four parallel pairs make contrasting statements about how Christians should respond to suffering. Although persecution may come in a variety of ways and can become debilitating, the power of God enables the believer not to allow themselves to become crushed, operate in despair, believe that his is not forsaken, or destroyed (v. 7).

Christians face four types of adversities, but all of them are qualified by a negative. Earthen vessels face four adversities with opposing conditions.

8We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed;

“Hard-pressed” is from a word meaning trouble, pressure(2 Co 1:6; 7:5). “On every side” means from every direction. The team’s enemies came from all directions in opposition to the gospel. There are many ways in which Paul’s team was “hard-pressed” – “on every side:” physical, mental spiritual, and social.

“Crushed” means confined, cornered. The gospel team never gasped for breath by being internally crushed. They continued to minister no matter what obstacle they faced. They never surrendered to the obstructions in ministry. Their adversaries never vanquished them. Although the team faced great trouble or pressure, God did not allow them to reach inextricable straits. They kept their hope in God’s plan for them.

PRINCIPLE:

Ease is not a dynamic of attainment.

APPLICATION:

Christians develop strength from trial. It is there that they find how God sovereignly works in their lives. Victory comes through adversity. Victims of adversity can claim victory through God’s sovereign hand.

Many pastors drop out of ministry today because of discouragement. They deem that their church has no interest in winning people to Christ or even the desire to grow in the faith. There are indeed many problems in ministry, but if God has led us into ministry, He will sustain us in it. No matter what difficulty may come in ministry, God is still in control.

There are points in ministry where anyone cannot help himself or herself. We need God to intervene with divine enablement. Whether the issues are physical or psychological, we need God. He is always at work. He never abandons His sovereign control in our problems.

7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

that the excellence [all-surpassing] of the power may be of God

The all-surpassing power of delivering the message of salvation rests in God, not men.

and not of us.

The suffering of the gospel team (vv. 8f) does not discredit their ministry. Instead, it demonstrates the power of God in their difficulty.

PRINCIPLE:

Transcendent power belongs to God, not us.

APPLICATION:

There is no mistake where the power originates in ministry. The weakness and limitations of God’s servants is the platform that He uses for His work (2 Co 12:9). God uses fragile pots to do great work.

The power of salvation lies in its message, not in its messengers (Ro 1:16). Our Lord uses frail, finite human beings who trust Him. He gives mortal human beings the ability to proclaim a supernatural message (1 Co 2:5; 3:7).

A genuine sense of the privilege to minister the gospel casts a sense of unworthiness upon those who deliver it. Ministers of Christ are expendable. Our only value is what we have in Christ (1 Co 26-29). The treasure of the gospel has nothing to do with the pot (1 Co 1:20). Ministry does not depend on the durability of the pot, but on the sufficiency of God. God can use anyone. People can see the power of God in human weakness. Anything of eternal accomplishment comes from God.

God works in frail human beings. As we embrace our weakness, God provides His power to us. The fragile nature of ministers of the gospel enhances the divine character of the message. God uses the weak to reach the world (1 Co 1:26-29). God passed by the philosophers of Athens to tap into the small nation of Israel to do His work. He did this because the magnificence of the intellect prohibited them from openness to God. He uses those who are responsive to His Word. Those with lesser attainment should encourage themselves with how God uses people. In God’s eyes, what we lack may be our advantage. Our value does not lie in what we are ourselves, but in the treasure of our message. God has a place for the common, frail, and weak. He will use us in difficulty, under duress, and adversity. As long as we think that everything must be perfect before God uses us, we will falter along the way. What God does is no product of human education, ingenuity, genius, or cleverness. He will use the uneducated or the educated submitted to Him.

7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

Verses 7-12 details the suffering of Paul’s team in ministry. Their ability to minister under duress is a demonstration of the work of God in them. God is sufficient for any difficulty. The suffering of Paul’s gospel team stands in sharp contrast to their opponents (2 Co 4:7-18). God gives ministers of the gospel His power and confidence of future glory. Verse 7 demonstrates God’s power in the frailty of the gospel team.

7But

The “but” here shows the contrast of the message of salvation (v. 6) with those who deliver it are like a wonderful treasure placed in fragile jars of clay.

we have this treasure [knowledge of God in the face of Christ, v. 6]

A stark disparity exists between the treasure of salvation (the knowledge of His glory, v. 6) and those who deliver its message.

in earthen vessels [human beings],

People in the first century hid their treasures of gold and jewels in clay pots. “Earthen vessels” were in every house in the first century. They were cheap, fragile, and easily broken. The metaphor here is of a clay pot representing human frailty and weakness. A clay pot is something very ordinary, very expendable. The gospel team viewed themselves as very average. They were not a beautiful set of china. They were like clay pots that people quickly discard. Their value lay in what they had–the glorious gospel of Christ. What these vessels contained is what gave them importance.

Generally, people today place costly items in valuable containers. Here, however, God put something of great value in the lowly human beings of Paul and his team.

PRINCIPLE:

We see the sufficiency of God in our insufficiency.

APPLICATION:

Earthen jars should not rob the treasure of its glory. God puts ministry in the hands of frail human beings so that He might demonstrate His power in them. No one can ascribe the power of the gospel to finite human beings. God’s ministers are unattractive in themselves but valuable in what they have. They are clay pots but majestic vaults of divine truth. The value is in their message, not in their position, education, or giftedness.

We live in a day where there is a perverse emphasis on Christian superstars. That makes frail human beings rob God of the glory of the treasure of His salvation in Christ. The fleeting glory of human ministers will fade away in eternity. Instead of the desire to be viewed as someone of great moment, ministers should perceive themselves as simple instruments of God’s message. The treasure is more important than the clay pot container. The light is more important than the lamp. Disproportionate attention to the minister instead of the message is a displacement of priority.

The clay pot has its importance, but it is not of primary significance. Every minister of the gospel is significant to the church, but not of central import. Paul and Peter were the greatest missionaries of the first century; that is significant, but the most critical dynamic was the gospel and its spread to the Mediterranean world. They were indispensable to their era. There is an importance to those who bear the message, but it should not minimize the message itself.

6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

It is not the person’s skill who delivers the gospel message that wins people to Christ (2 Co 4:5). No, it is God’s responsibility to shed light on the lost.

6 For

The “for” here gives the reasons for placing the emphasis on the gospel team’s ministry in verse five: (1) Paul preached Christ and (2) the reason why he is the servant of the Corinthian church. The servant orientation of Paul’s team did not come from themselves but from what God did through them (2 Co 4:5).

it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness,

The source of the Christian message is God, who was the Creator of the universe. He brought natural light out of darkness by a command (Ge 1:3). The God of creation is the God of transformation. It is His light that shines in one’s salvation. Conversion is a new creation experience. This “light” dispels the darkness of the soul, ignorance about the realities of becoming a Christian.

God, who made the light to shine in creation also makes the light of regeneration shine. God sovereignly planned re-creation as much as creation.

who [God] has shone in our hearts

The same Creator of the universe shines the light of His glory in the hearts of Paul’s team. God unmistakably worked in the hears of the gospel team by fundamentally changing them.

to give the light [illumination]

The gospel team propagated the gospel to the lost. They gave the light of the gospel in Christ. The light is more than mental enlightenment but an act of regeneration. The “light” is the essence of knowing something particular – “the knowledge of the glory of God.” Christians are beacons of light in the world of cosmic spiritual darkness; they are not the Light. The medium of Light is the believer. The light within of necessity must shine out. People cannot give what they do not have.

of the knowledge

God gave light by command at creation, but at regeneration, at the point of salvation He illuminates Himself in Christ. The “light” is the knowledge of salvation. The more we know about God’s glory, the greater light, and knowledge we have.

The glory of Christ and the glory of God both operate simultaneously in the heart of the lost.

of the glory of God

Renegade culture ordered by Satan prevents those with negative volition from seeing the full impact of who and what God is–the wonder of God’s glory. Those who respond to His light will see His glory.

in the face of Jesus Christ.

God’s light displays the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ, that is, in the incarnation (Jn 1:18). The glory of salvation reflects itself in the face of Jesus Christ, a ministry that is Christ-centered. Moses’ face was bright, but Jesus’ brighter.

The reference to the “face” of Jesus may hark back to Paul’s earlier discussion about Moses covering his face to hide the departing glory of God. The idea here is that Jesus illuminates God’s glory. Christians can see the undimmed splendor of God in the countenance of the Lord. God becomes in Christ the object of the knowledge or discernment of His glory (Jn 1:18).

Christ is both the “image” of God and the Light of God. The Light reflected in the face of Christ.

PRINCIPLE:

To know Jesus is to understand the Father.

APPLICATION:

Sin hardens the heart (2 Co 3:14) and makes a person no open to God (2 Co 3:16). Satan utilizes this attitude in men to keep them in spiritual darkness (2 Co 4:4). God, however, supernaturally intervenes to cast the light of His truth upon men (Jn 8:12; 9:5). Salvation is the work of God, not men. This happened to Paul on the road to Damascus. Jesus revealed Himself as an overpowering light to Paul (Ac 9:1-9; 22:5-11; 26:12-18).

When one comes to grips with the greatness of the glory of Christ, it puts ministry in its proper place. A high view of Christ humbles the person who preaches Him. Who are we to speak of such a wonderful person?

Every Christian should inspect their motives for ministry. Proper motivation will withstand opposition and adversity. The highest motivation to please God does not preclude problems. Some will impugn our motives and obstruct our mission. We can take this to the bank. No one in ministry should be shocked by difficulties; it is par for the course and inevitable even within the church. Paul faced it, why should not we? Resistance will always attack great vision and goals.

5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.

5 For

The “for” here explains where the blindness of lost does not originate–it did not come from the preaching of Paul’s team. Their message was the declaration of the glory of Christ (2 Co 4:4).

we do not preach ourselves,

The gospel is not about those who preach it (2 Co 4:7-12). It does not relate to superior qualifications, abilities, or eloquence of the messenger. It does not regard how many followers a person may have. Drawing attention to clever presentations is not what wins the lost to Christ.

The awesome gospel message kept Paul from self-promotion. His interests were not his achievements, but what Christ attained on his behalf. He never exploited people for his own ends. He did not try to build a “fan club” on his behalf.

but Christ Jesus the Lord,

The central issue in every ministry is Christ Jesus. The message is not about us but occupation with Him. He is “the Lord.” The Christian message is not vapid moralism. The purpose of ministry is not to gain followers to oneself but to help people see Jesus as Lord. “Jesus” is the human title, and “Lord” is His divine title. The substance of our message is Christ Jesus, the Lord. He is the Light of the world. Without Him, Christianity is mere religion.

and ourselves your bondservants

Those who minister are “bondservants” or slaves for Jesus’ sake. A bondservant gives all his possessions, aspirations, service, and time to Jesus. A minister does this because He is “Lord.” This idea is strange to a culture given over to the self. Although Paul’s team is the Corinthian church ministers, they are not masters of the church. They are the servants to the church. They are ministers of Christ but servants to the church.

for Jesus’ sake.

Ministry is for Jesus’ sake, and not for personal interests. Jesus Himself did not come to be served but to serve (Mark 10:45). Verses 7-12 is an expansion on this idea. Paul’s motive for preaching was “Christ Jesus the Lord.”

PRINCIPLE:

All ministry should be Christ-centered.

APPLICATION:

Many areas of evangelicalism are about the personality cult of certain preachers (1 Co 1:12). Most of these ministers have a message of vapid moralism. This is an attempt to produce fruit without a tree. Morality without the crucified Christ is unsullied emptiness (1 Co 2:8).

The fundamental issue in ministry is not the promotion of a preacher or the exaltation of a church. The heart of the message is Jesus Christ. Who and what He is, is central to the gospel. The great end of preaching is to help people see who the central theme of Christianity—Jesus Christ the Lord.

4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

lest the light of the gospel

The non-Christian is not left in the dark by himself. God sends the “light of the gospel” to which he can see the truth. Satan blocks that “light” with other philosophical, religious, and moral options of culture.

of the glory of Christ,

The gospel sheds the light of Christ’s glory to the world. It is the story of His unique person, wondrous works, and unparalleled teaching. Satan explains away the glory of Christ.

who is the image of God,

Christ is the image of God (Co 1:15). Christians are to reflect this image to the world (Ro 8:29). The real identity of the Christian is his identification with Christ, that is, one who has seen the glory of Christ for himself. Christ is the exact representation of the Father. To comprehend Christ is to understand God. His divine nature has essential oneness with the Father. This is the climax of verses 1-6.

Jesus Christ, as the image of God, carries the idea that He accurately represents the invisible God (Jn 1:18; Co 1:15). He has the embodiment of divine attributes.

should shine on them.

“Shine on them” is illumination, the process of enlightening where the Holy Spirit convicts people of their sin and need for Christ. Satan casts darkness over the minds of the lost, creating spiritual blindness. This prevents them from seeing the glory of Christ, the radiant center of the universe (He 1:3).

PRINCIPLE:

Satan is in the business of blinding people to the glory of Christ’s gospel.

APPLICATION:

Non-Christians are not able to see the illumination of the glory of Christ in the gospel. They minimize the message about Him by volitional rejection. They cannot see the uniqueness of His person as the image of God (Jn 1:18; Co 1:15).

The sun does not cease to be the sun because the blind cannot see it. Rejection of the gospel is proof of negative volition toward God.

A person cannot become a Christian without a definite decision. That decision determines his or her eternal destiny.

4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

The “veiled” mind of verse 3 was not due to the team’s preaching or methods. Instead, it had another source altogether.

4 whose minds [understanding] the god of this age [era] has blinded,

The “god of his age” is Satan. He is the “prince of this world (Jn 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) and “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2). Satan is a “god,” a limited one subject to Almighty God. He blinds the lost to understand the gospel (2 Co 3:14). Satan dominates the “age’ in which we live. However, he is not in complete control; that sovereignty belongs to God alone. Satan is not the God of the universe; he is a limited god of the era of fallen men. If people reject the light, they become victims of the darkness.

Satan is “god” of this age because he has dominion over those who do not believe. He is in the active business of blunting the gospel. As a god, he has the power to control people. He takes them captive to do his will (2 Ti 2:26). He influences them to do his will.

Satan reigns in influence on culture today. It is a day of his philosophy, values, and priorities. There are two choices: (1) to be enlightened by the gospel or (2) to be blinded by the values of the god of this world.

The devil runs the show down here. We should not sell his capacity short. He can deceive and misguide us. He wants us to think that the mind of man is all that we need, that humanism is ultimate. We can think only horizontally until we become Christians, then we can think vertically (1 Co 2:14).

who do not believe,

Without the conviction of the Holy Spirit, unbelievers are blind to the gospel. Satanic blindness was not groundless because unbelievers choose this condition along with Satanic influence. Non-Christians are willing subjects of the Devil’s marketing. This blindness could not happen without a negative attitude toward the gospel.

PRINCIPLE:

We now live in the era of Satan.

APPLICATION:

Satan is the “ruler of this age” or this present world (Jn 14:30). God allows him a limited dominion in the world (Eph 6:12). In this sphere, he has the power to deceive people so that they are blind to the gospel. However, Satan still operates under the sovereignty of God.

Satan veils the gospel to those who are lost. Jesus defeated him in principle once for all (He 2:14). God defeated Satan by the cross of Christ (Co 2:15). Non-Christians see no glory from the cross; they see it as defeat, shame, and dishonor.

By blinding the mind, Satan secured vassalage to himself as “the god of this era.” People have difficulty in escaping his lordship. Satan usurps power for himself.

3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,

Not everyone is favorable to the gospel. Some are negative volition toward God and His gospel.

3 But

The “but “here qualifies the previous verse, where the team set forth the truth plainly.

even if [since] our gospel is veiled,

The “if” assumes that this statement is true. It is a fact that Satan obscures the gospel to those without Christ. There will always be those who reject the gospel message. Some of the critics of Paul and his team might have indicated that their “bold” approach to ministry was unwarranted.

Regardless of his claim to preach openly about the gospel, Paul’s critics asserted that his message was obscure.

it is veiled to those who are perishing,

The problem of rejecting the gospel was not in the message but in those who heard its message. The gospel itself is “veiled” to the lost (1 Co 1:18).

God divides people into two groups: 1) those who believe in Christ and 2) those who do not. God justifies one group and condemns the other (the “perishing”). There is a difference in their destiny. These are people who are eternally lost to fellowship with God and His heaven. The difference between being lost and saved is the gospel of Christ.

PRINCIPLE:

Rejection of the gospel is due to the heart condition of those who hear it.

APPLICATION:

Not everyone will respond positively to our gospel presentation. The problem with lack of response to our ministry often has nothing to do with how we do it but with hard hearts of those who hear it. It is not the fault of the message nor the messenger necessarily. The responsibility lies in the heart of the hearer of the gospel; the problem is an unregenerate state of mind. There is a connection between unbelief and regeneration. This is an issue beyond doubt; it is deliberate opposition to the gospel. The failure to accept the message rests in negative volition. That is why it is impossible to educate people to become a Christian. The problem lies in who they are; they are spiritually dead to God.

The veil of unbelief identifies one who is eternally lost. If anyone finds the gospel to be folly (1 Co 1:18), they are spiritually blind. The greatness of the gospel does not rest on those who are not beholden to it. Genuine preachers of the gospel do not change their message to make it more palatable, as some people do (2 Co 11:4). There will always be those who will reject the gospel (1 Co 2:14).

The preaching of the gospel puts people in a crisis of decision. There is no third option. The issue rests on one’s attitude toward the gospel, whether their heart is hard to its message or not. The beauty of creation remains beautiful whether or not the blind can see it. It is the gospel that brings scandal to the heart (1 Co 1:23; 2:2). The issue is the fundamental nature of the gospel, not how someone delivers it. Jesus Himself and what He did are the stone that stumbles people (Ro 9:33). This kind of message does not pander to selfish aspirations, the motivations that come from satanic blindness and hardness of heart.

2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

commending ourselves to every man’s conscience

Paul’s enemies attempted to recommend themselves by cunning and corruption of the Word of God. Paul’s team simply replied on manifesting God’s Word to the hearts of people.

“Commending” means to assert oneself in a debate. The New Testament uses this word for military generals disputing about battle plans. Among many voices clamoring for attention, Paul’s team made their point patently clear.

The message of the team aimed at every conscience. They laid out the gospel plainly for anyone to judge for themselves, as to whether it is true or not.

The “conscience” is the human faculty that recognizes right from wrong, the norms of conduct. It is the faculty of conviction that brings guilt to violation of norms. Paul’s team had a testimony to every person’s conscience. They are comfortable in leaving them to sit as a jury over their ministry, God’s Word has self-evidencing power. It recommends itself to the soul.

in the sight of God.

God examined every ministry of the gospel team. There was nothing self-seeking about what they did. God knew that their motives were clear. Their conscience was one of integrity.

PRINCIPLE:

Our ministry needs to be in keeping with our message.

APPLICATION:

Salvation never comes by rational persuasion. The issue is not the skill of a messenger, his method, or the packaging of it.

Criticism from the church where a person ministers is more painful than that from without. When people call motives of their leaders into questions, that is particularly difficult to defend. When the people that we love vilify our character and besmirch our name, the pain goes deep. Over-critical scrutiny that prejudges our ministry is something difficult with which to cope.

Paul responded to his critics with the declaration of the Word and the centrality of Christ. Billy Graham never responded to his critics. He felt that it only enflamed their cause. However, in the local church, the pastor does not have that privilege because he lives with his congregation day-by-day. People will find our genuine motives by watching how we live and what priorities we place on ministry.

Those who have nothing to fear can lay bare themselves for inspection. However, those who wish to harm the minister will only permit suspicion, slander, and sometimes envy into their thinking. These are the kind that thrive on troubles of others. Their objective is to obstruct high goals of ministry. With this kind of person, all a minister can do is put priority on the highest goal and let the chips fall where they may. Paul laid out his motive in ministry and let it stand there. It is not wise to cease effective ministry to engage in conflict with those with negative volition. It is better to let one’s record speak for ministry.

2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

but by manifestation [disclosure] of the truth

This phrase shows what the gospel team did do. Their method stands polar opposite to those ministered by craftiness and deceit. Paul’s team laid out God’s Word clearly, without varnishing it for the recipients at hand (2 Co 3:18). As genuine ministers of the gospel, they did not withhold truth but made it patently clear. They never watered down the message as the Judaizers claimed. They made a clear distinction between the Law and grace. They were faithful messengers of God’s message.

The “truth” here is revealed truth, not simply morality. The issue is fidelity to the Word of God. He was transparent with his message.

PRINCIPLE:

Fidelity to truth is the core responsibility of those who minister.

APPLICATION:

Every person in ministry is subject to suspicion, envy, and slander. Maintaining integrity and the perception of integrity is a high priority for success in ministry. The apostle Paul suffered accusations, but he directly confronted them. Much of Second Corinthians deals with the defense of Paul’s ministry to the Corinthian church. The team never falsified or deceived the church in any of their ministry there. The content of their message was such that they spoke with openness and boldness.

The best thing anyone could say about their minister is that he was faithful to the truth, to the Word of God. There is no place for a double-dealing life as a minister. We need an orthodoxy of life in ministry today. To preach truth and practice iniquity is an anomaly. To receive the truth is to renounce anything that violates the Word. To tamper with the message or minister for personal gain violates the nature of truth itself. It is not possible to gain the approval of everyone. That is why we seek to gain God’s approval above all. Being true to God and self is at the heart of ministry. Personal integrity defies the world.

The truth of the gospel does not depend on its certification on people, even leaders of Christianity (Ga 1:17-18; 2:5, 6, 14). The certification of divine truth rests on the message itself, not on those who deliver its message. Straightforward proclamation of the content of the gospel is what wins people. Whether something is true or not boils down to what category one uses to make their judgment. A human category has inherent problems (1 Co 4:3; 2 Co 5:16).

2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

The context of this verse has to do with the activities of false teachers in the church at Corinth. Paul draws a contrast here between his team’s ministry and that of these deceptive teachers. Sadly, even while Paul founded the church, he had to defend his team against these people.

Paul renounces three dishonorable practices:

-secret, shameful ministry

-all craftiness

–misuse of God’s Word

2 But [emphatic]

Paul’s team carry out their ministry by “manifestation of the truth.” This was the reverse of the charge against them that neglected their mission (2 Co 4:1),

we have renounced the hidden things of shame,

Paul’s team was open about their ministry. They had nothing to hide. They denounced anything that would cast shame on Christ (2 Co 2:17). They preached the gospel without the shame of using underhanded methods (Ro 1:16). Shame leads to hiding the truth in an underhanded way. Boldness is honorable. They were always aboveboard and open with their ministries. We can distort truth by underhanded methods.

not walking in craftiness

Gospel ministers do not use trickery either in method or message. They are not disingenuous in ministry. The word “craftiness” carries the idea of ready to do anything to accomplish a purpose. Some people will use a ruse to achieve their ends; they use unscrupulous means. This may involve secret plots (1 Co 3:19; 2 Co 11:3; Eph 4:14).

nor handling the word of God deceitfully [distortedly],

The team never falsified or adulterated the Word of God for their ends. They never tampered with or altered God’s Word. They did not water it down to avoid problems. They never distorted the plain, bald teaching of the Bible.

PRINCIPLE:

The manipulation of God’s Word to make it effective violates the integrity of God.

APPLICATION:

Genuine ministers do not change the message to make it more palatable. There is a temptation to give people what they want to hear rather than what they need. Our job is to serve Christ, not accommodate our message to culture.

The Christian message is mutually exclusive. Many ministers are embarrassed by that. Because of their shame, they are willing to dilute the message by sophistry because of the severity of its content.

1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.

we do not lose heart.

Because Paul’s team operated under the principle of God’s mercy, they did not lose heart or give up their service for the Lord. They suffered many accusations and difficulties. They carried out their ministry with firm conviction because they knew God’s mercy was extended to them. They never gave up to despair while ministering. They determined to hang in there with a bulldog-like tenacity, no matter the difficulty (2 Co 4:16). Paul’s team never took refuge in silence, timidity, or shame. They persistently were active in ministry daunted by nothing or no one.

PRINCIPLE:

Don’t quit too soon.

APPLICATION:

Some people take refuge in silence or inactivity because they lose heart in ministry. Many do this to escape criticism. This is the opposite of boldness (2 Co 3:12).

The experience of knowing Christ more than compensates for any trouble we might face in ministry. The incredible honor of preaching New Covenant truth causes Christians not to be discouraged. Privilege to minister comes from God’s mercy. Ministry is not something we earn or deserve; we receive it as an act of God’s grace. There are many discouragements in ministry. It can become a burden rather than a blessing if we look at it from the viewpoint of a career. God’s mercy is always a source of encouragement because it is a privilege. Because we possess God’s mercy, we do not fail to discharge our mission.

The President of William Tyndale College (one of my alma maters) gave a message in chapel every year, “Don’t quick too soon.” This was because of the high drop-out rate after the first year of college. Those who minister because God has been merciful to them do not allow accusations or difficulties in ministry to discourage them. Definite conviction of ministry gives them the tenacity to continue through any problem in ministry.

1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.

Chapter four is a continuation of the argument from chapter three, the glory of New Covenant ministry.

Verses 1-6 assert the candor and character with which Paul’s team ministered. The glory of the New Covenant affects motivation for ministry. This glory leads to tenacity (4:1), candidness (4:2), Christ-centeredness (4:5-6).

1 Therefore [for this reason],

God gave Paul’s team their ministry as an act of mercy (previous chapter). They did not deserve to minister the glory of the New Covenant. They minister from the liberty-giving Spirit of the Lord (2 Co 3:17-18).

since we have this ministry [service],

“This ministry” is the ministry of the New Covenant (2 Co 3:6), the ministry of the Holy Spirit and righteousness (2 Co 3:8-9), and which is the glorious news that Christ paid for our sins with His death and declared His righteousness as ours.

as we have received mercy,

Paul was once a persecutor of the church, capturing and killing many Christians. He was a religious zealot. But one day, he met the Savior on the Damascus Road, and the Lord radically changed his life. He saw himself as the chief of sinners but saved by grace, by God’s “mercy.” God was merciful toward Paul despite his past.

It is only by God’s “mercy” that a person ministers the gospel. There is no way possible that Paul’s gospel team was worthy of the task (2 Co 3:5). It is only through God’s compassion that they can serve Him. God gives mercy to those who do not deserve it.

PRINCIPLE:

Our attitude toward ministry determines how we discharge it.

APPLICATION:

People without a burning conviction that God’s Word is true, give up easily. The splendor of our message transcends any problems that we might encounter.

The way we look at ministry helps determine how we fulfill it. If we look at serving Christ as a burden instead of a privilege, then we will grudge our service. To grasp the wonder of God’s mercy toward us gives us momentum to continue with tenacity. It will prevent us from quitting. Paul’s trials brought him to the point of despair (2 Co 1:8). Yet God’s mercy came with divine enabling; he knew God would see him through his problems. The glorious gospel was too great to give up. He would not allow himself to fall to the wayside because of the gospel (Ga 6:9; Eph 3:13).

No one deserves to be in the ministry. It is only by God’s mercy that any of us can minister to others.

18But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

When a person looks into God’s Word and applies its principles to experience, that sets the stage for genuine, terminal, and fundamental change.

are being transformed

The Greek word for “transformed” occurs only four times in the New Testament (Mt 17:2; Mark 9:2; Ro 12:2; and here). Matthew and Mark are parallel passages dealing with the Mount of Transfiguration experience. Romans 12:2 and here refer to an internal change of the entire person. The basic idea of the word “transformed” is to take on a different form. The Holy Spirit directs believers to Christ, whose image they reflect in a transformative way.

Christians who mature in Christ ever increase in the reflected glory of the Lord (2 Co 4:6). This is progressive sanctification. The Christian life should be a continual process of becoming more and more like Christ (1 Jn 3:2).

into the same image [likeness]

The “same image” is the image of Christ, that is, to become Christ-like. Christians bear Christ’s name and identity (1 Co 15:49; Ro 8:29-30; 1 Jn 3:1f).

from glory to glory [ever-growing glory],

As Christians become more like Christ, they progress to greater degrees of His reflected glory. They manifest the glory of God more and more as they grow in Christ. It is an extended process. Christian growth is a continuous and progressive transformation whereby God changes them from one degree of glory to another. This growth allows us to more and more approximate the likeness of God expressed in Christ.

just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

The removal of the veil (unveiled face) is a work of God the Spirit (2 Co 3:17). Transformation can come only by the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit on the heart. The Holy Spirit’s ministry to the life of the Christian is the significant impact of the New Covenant. The. transformation or growth of believers is wholly attributable to His work (Ro 8:1-7).

PRINCIPLE:

Christ gave the right to enter God’s presence for all believers.

APPLICATION:

The glory of God transforms Christians as they come to grips with the wonder of who He is. The Holy Spirit’s office is to glorify Christ by revealing who He is and what He has done to the Christian.

Transformation is more than superficial or artificial change. It is inherent, terminal, conversion of a person into the progressive likeness of Christ. There is no cheap imitation here. It is gradual development of the glory of Christ in the Christian by God, by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Christian maturity is progressive. This is a movement ever closer to the likeness of Christ by biblical exposure to the magnitude of His person and work. This is the process whereby Christ is “formed” in the believer (Ga 4:19; Eph 4:13).

The Bible has a purifying effect as we read or study it. It will change and transform us. The Greek word for “transformed” is our word metamorphosis. It is like a caterpillar transformed into a butterfly. Growth in grace moves us toward spiritual maturity (1 Pe 2:2; 2 Pe 3:18; Jude 20; 2 Pe 1:5-17). Remember what we were and what we are now. “I am not what I was.”

It is possible to decelerate our growth as Christians by neglecting the Bible. That closes the mouth of God and shuts out knowing our Lord as we should (Php 3:10). Our Lord Jesus Christ is the heart of the Word of God. We forget so easily.

18But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

This verse continues Paul’s exposition of Exodus 34:33-35, whereby Moses removed his veil when he went before the Lord. This symbolized his boldness before the Lord. Verse 18 draws an analogy to what happen to Moses–Christians also can approach God with an unveiled face. By doing this they are in the process of transforming into the glory of Christ.

18But we all [emphatic],

The “all” here are Christians in the New Covenant of grace in contrast to the hardened Jews of the Old Testament. These are those who have the indwelling Holy Spirit residing in them.

with unveiled face,

Like Moses unveiled his face before the Lord, the Christian can approach God with boldness. The Holy Spirit removed the veil of the Law to reveal the glory of the New Covenant. Lifting the veil represents liberty to fellowship with God.

beholding [oneself] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,

As the believer devotes himself or herself to reading Scripture, they will see God’s glory reflected in Christ (2 Co 11:3). What Christian see in the mirror of God’s Word is the Lord. When this happens, gradual spiritual transformation occurs. As we advance in Christlikeness by the Spirit, our character will reflect His glory (2 Pe 3:18).

There is a difference between the purpose of the indwelling of Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Christ dwells in us to manifest His glory (Jn 14:18-21; Ro 8:10). The Holy Spirit dwells in us so that Christ can take up His royal residence there.

PRINCIPLE:

The Christian transforms into the glory he has seen.

APPLICATION:

The Christian is transformed as he or she contemplates the glory of God in Christ. That glory creates a reflected glory in the believer.

The Bible refers to itself as a “mirror” (Jas 1:23-25). When sinful people study the Bible, they see their sinfulness. They see Christ’s image in comparison to their own. This is disconcerting to those who do not want to allow God to convict them of their sin. It exposes them for what they are. A mirror reflects what it sees. The Bible faithfully reflects what we are; it exposes our spiritual deficiencies.

17Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

There are two effects of the New Covenant on the Christian:

-it gives him or her liberty (3:17)

-it produces ever-increasing likeness to Christ (3:18)

Verse 17 also draws an implication from 2 Corinthians 3:6, 8 where it states that the New Covenant proceeds from the Spirit as life-giving. It is more glorious than the Old Covenant.

17Now the Lord [Christ] is the Spirit;

Paul now explains the use of the word “Lord” in the previous verse. The Holy Spirit is God because this passage calls Him “Lord” (Ac 5:3-4). The Spirit is the personal negotiator for Christ (Ro 8:9). They are one in purpose (Jn 15:26; 16:6-15).

As Christ and the Father are one (Jn 10:30), so the Holy Spirit and Jesus are one. They are one in essence but different in person. To say that the “Lord” or Christ is the Spirit is not to confound persons of the Trinity. We should not identify Christ with the Spirit in that sense. The idea is that the Lord and the Spirit are one in the same notion that Christ and the Father are one in essence (Jn 10:30).

The influence of the Spirit is universal in its effect. Christ transforms lives because the Spirit shows everyone who He is (Jn 16:14). We cannot separate the ministries of Christ and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit reveals Christ and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (Ga 5:18).

and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

The abiding presence of the Holy Spirit removes the veil of a hard heart and brings freedom in Christ (Ro 7:6). “Liberty” here is opposed to the Law. To pursue salvation or sanctification through the Law is to put oneself in bondage (Ro 6:6-22; Ga 2:4). Christ sets the Christian free from sin and guilt.

Freedom removes any barrier that would prohibit a walk with God. The Spirit frees the believer from sin (Ro 7:6), fear (Ro 8:5), and the Law (Ga 5:1-5, 18).

PRINCIPLE:

Under the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit is the operative power giving the believer freedom to live the Christian life.

APPLICATION:

Christ reconciled the world to Himself bringing spiritual liberty before God (2 Co 3:17; Ga 5:1). When the Law reigns in one’s life, there is bondage. When the Spirit is in control, there is freedom. The Spirit bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God (Ro 8:15-16). Our Lord met all the demands of the Law; He fulfilled it on our behalf (Ro 8:3-4). There is no condemnation of the sinner either (Ro 8:1). Such liberty engenders boldness to walk with God.

The Spirit brings freedom from sin and death. The Law brings slavery (Ga 4:24-31). Christians are free because Christ redeemed us from the penalty of the Law (Ga 4:5-7). We are free from the Law (Ro 7:1-6). Christ’s work liberates the Christian (Jn 8:36). He is the only one who can give spiritual freedom.

This does not mean that the Christian is free from God’s standards for living or righteousness. Biblical freedom does not make the Christian autonomous from God. True freedom is from the power of sin, enabling the believer to live the way he or she should (Ro 7:6).

To turn to Christ from the Law is to turn from a code that spiritually enslaves a person by precepts and rituals. The Spirit gives liberty to live by a new power. Instead of hiding the glory of God as Moses did, the Spirit transforms our character inwardly by His indwelling presence. This is life by an inner power rather than an external code. The Law was temporary and faded with the coming of the Holy Spirit. The glory of Christ superseded the Law.

The Law places strictures on conduct by a set of rules where the Holy Spirit transforms life from within, by convictions, desires, and affections. This is a change from legalism to supernatural spirituality. It enables the Christian to do what the Law requires.

The Law can never save a sinner nor sanctify a saint. Christians who live under the Law have put themselves in a religious straight jacket. However, God’s unconditional promise of a grace-oriented life eliminates the conditional promises of the Law. The idea of the Law was if you meet the condition under its demands, you are blessed. If you do not, then you are cursed. The Law is not the standard for living under grace.

15But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

3:15

But even to this day, when Moses is read,

Israel, in the day of Paul, continued to be hardened toward understanding Moses because they would not accept their sinful condition that the Law showed them (Ro 11:7-8, 25).

a veil lies on their heart.

A veil continued in Paul’s day to blunt Jew’s attitude toward Scripture. The “veil” is a figure of speech that indicates a hardened heart which refuses to accept the revelation of the New Covenant. They were oblivious to the New because of their negative attitude to what God said (Ro 11:25-26).

The problem was not in the Old Covenant, but with Israel’s hardened attitude. A veil lay over their hearts; it was an issue of unbelief.

3:16

Nevertheless

Verse 16 alludes to Exodus 34:34. This was when Moses took off the veil when he spoke with the Lord. Anyone who turns from the Lord has a cover on their hearts.

when one turns [converts] to the Lord,

Turning to the Lord here is conversion to Christ (v.14). The singular “one” indicates an individual person who turns to the Lord can see the reality of who God is, Jew or Gentile. When people convert to Christ, the obscurity about God disappears. Our Lord fulfilled all the types and rituals of the Old Testament.

the veil is taken away.

God takes away the “veil” of a hardened heart when a person embraces Christ as Savior (2 Co 4:6). When this happens, a person can experience and see the glory of the New Covenant.

PRINCIPLE:

The inner veil of our hearts is a symbol of the hardness of our hearts, preventing us from understanding God’s Word.

APPLICATION:

The “veil” is the symbol of spiritual hardness on our souls. Those hardened toward God’s Word cannot come to grips with the glory of God. They cannot change or mature but stay spiritually stagnant.

Only when God removes the veil that shelters the human heart that a person can understand God’s Word. Neither is ignorance an excuse for rejecting Christ (Jn 5:39, 46). It is no excuse for neglecting what God says to believers either (Lu 24:25). The problem is not with what God reveals but with the sinful heart.

Jesus fulfilled the Mosaic law completely (Ro 10:4). He measured up to the Law on our behalf; therefore, we do need to use operation bootstraps to lift ourselves toward God. Our Lord did that for us. Since that is true, His economy of grace has superseded the Law (Jn 1:170.

14But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.

Moses’ decision to use a veil to hide the glory of God proved to be prophetic of the future. As Israel was unwilling to accept the glory of who God is, so the same was true of people in Paul’s day.

But [emphatic] their minds were blinded [hardened].

Israel was blinded to the truth because they had hard hearts. The Greek word for “blinded” means to harden, to thicken. It was used for the hardening of the arteries. Their problem went far beyond understanding; it was a heart issue. They could not see and did not want to leave their sinful condition (He 3:8, 15; 4:7). Jews still had hardened hearts in Stephen’s (Ac 7:51) and in Paul’s day.

As Jews sat in their synagogues and heard prophecies of the coming Messiah, they did not believe what they heard about Him in the Old Testament. A hard heart is always the result of rejection of divine truth. This always hides the glory of God.

For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament [Covenant],

Even in Paul’s day, Jews were still hard to the truth. When they read the Law, they closed their hearts to Old Testament Scripture (Ac 28:26-27; Ro 15:21). Subsequent generations of Jews persisted in rejecting the New Covenant. A veil of the Jews own making hinders them from seeing the truth.

Israel, as a nation in Moses’ day, failed to respond to the true nature of the glory on His face. That same hardness existed in the Jews of Paul’s day. They failed to see that his glory was transient. The Old Covenant was only designed to point to Christ.

because the veil is taken away in Christ.

Only Christ can remove the veil over the human heart. The types and symbols of the Mosaic Covenant are not clear apart from Christ. Christian ministry unveils the full glory of God in Christ. It is not until Christ came that people could understand the glory of Moses was the prefigured glory of Christ. Only by belief in Christ does the hardness of heart go away.

PRINCIPLE:

The Christian today lives under the administration of grace.

APPLICATION:

Christians today who live under Old Testament administration are out of joint because they put themselves under “the ministration of death” and “condemnation” (2 Co 3:7-9). The Law could condemn, but it could not give life; it could not save. It was “passing away” because it was temporary and not permanent.

In the administration of grace, the Holy Spirit is the enabling Agent who gives liberty and power to live the Christian life. We have this power into eternity.

13unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.

unlike Moses,

Paul’s ministry was not like Moses’, which was a temporary glory. Verses 13-17 are a commentary on Exodus 34:29-35. Moses represented the Old Covenant, the old way of ministry.

who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily

The veil that Moses put over his face hid its fading radiance. The transient nature of the glory on Moses’ face corresponds to the diminishing nature of the Mosaic Covenant. This phrase references Exodus 34:33. The patriarch put the veil over his face so that Israel could not see the temporary nature of his glory. The Law was not permanent, but a temporary way of life.

at the end [termination] of what was passing away.

The “end” in this phrase refers to the glory of Moses’ face had a consequence; the death of God’s glory came from the hardened hearts of Israel. In Moses’ day, Israel was enthralled with the golden calf. They did not receive the blessing of the Old Covenant because the revelation of God’s glory would destroy them in their sinful state.

Paul, however, can be bold because Christ Himself is the end of the Old Covenant as a means of fellowship with God. Christians can encounter the glory of God because Christ annulled and fulfilled the Old Covenant. The Old economy was set aside in favor of the New Covenant. Jews of Paul’s day were blind to this transition into a new economy.

PRINCIPLE:

The nature of spirituality in the administration of grace is superior to that of the Law.

APPLICATION:

Christians can observe God’s glory more fully in the New Covenant because it is permanent; it will not fade away like with Moses. Christ fulfilled the Law on behalf of the Christian (Ro 10:4). There is no further need to measure up to the Law because our Lord did that for us. He made us worthy to receive God’s glory.

However, Christians who have hardened hearts toward what Christ did for them cannot grow in God’s glory.

12Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech—

The argument of 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 gives the superiority and permanence of New Covenant ministry. It is set in contrast to Old Covenant ministry.

Therefore,

“Therefore” draws a conclusion from verses 7-11 that the ministry of the Spirit has more glory than the Law ministry.

since we have such hope [confidence],

Christians have confidence in God because the New Covenant is eternal. It is important to note that “hope” does not refer to wishful thinking. That is a North American idea. Biblical hope is confidence based on God’s promises. This is a confidence that the gospel is certain to transform a person’s life. “Hope” here is the assurance that the provision of the New Covenant was realized in Christ (Ro 15:13; Eph 1:18, 4:4; Co 1:5; 1 Th 5:8; He 6:19; 7:9; 1 Pe 1:3, 13, 21).

The “hope” here is that New Covenant ministry imparts “glory” to Christians. Glory is God’s manifestations of Himself to believers. Ultimately believers will be glorified, which is our “hope.”

The supernatural work of the Spirit will show the glory of God to Christians and the world. The specific hope here is that the nature of the New Covenant was permanent and lasts for eternity. Christian hope carries unconditional certainty within itself. God’s promises will fulfill His promises without question.

we use great boldness of speech—

The Greek word for “boldness” related to the right of a Greek citizen to speak freely. Paul’s team was public and open with their ministries. The dynamics of the New Covenant produces confidence in sharing its message. Paul’s ministry is open and clear, and not hidden like the veil of Moses. He exercises his ministry transparently and without fear.

PRINCIPLE:

The height of biblical erudition is to be transparent with our message.

APPLICATION:

If the ministry of the Spirit has greater glory, then ministers of the gospel will have greater boldness. Hope in the New Covenant produces confidence. Confidence makes a person more outspoken about his or her faith. This kind of person is “bold” in speech. There is no fear of what others think. Cultural pressure does not daunt a person who has come to grips with truth. This is a person of conviction. Those who preach error tend to obfuscate, hide, or conceal their belief.

There are preachers who minister in such a way that no one can understand them. I guess the purpose is for people to say, “My, that pastor is well-educated.” This is not a good thing in the eyes of God (Neh 8:8; 1 Co 14:8-9).

11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.

The third contrast is between the past and present (v. 11). The administration of the Law was a passing one; its glory faded. Grace is permanent. Law rested on obedience; grace casts itself upon what God provided in Christ freely.

11For if [since] what is passing away was glorious,

Israel caused the Old Covenant’s glory to fade. The Greek word for “passing away” means to be rendered inoperative. It was the nation that caused the glory of the Law to be rendered inoperative (passive voice). This interpretation also suggests that it was Palestinian Jews still under the Old Covenant who challenged Paul’s authority. They put the priority on the Mosaic Law (2 Co 2:15-16). This group undermined Paul’s message of grace and liberty.

The words “is passing away” means to render inoperative. God did not do away with the Law completely but changed the economy in which it functioned to something very different. Its previous role in defining sin remained, but God afforded something greater—grace greater than our sin. The difference was to accept the sacrifice of Christ as the giver of grace. Jesus met all the demands of the Law.

The Old Covenant was indeed glorious because it reflected God’s holiness. However, it was a fading glory as a temporary function, which was being rendered inoperative by God. The Old Covenant was short-lived, whereas the New is permanent.

what remains [endures] is much more glorious.

The New Covenant was “much more glorious” than the Old Covenant. Both covenants exist because of their relationship to God’s glory, but the New Covenant excels in glory. The greater surpasses the lesser. The Old was temporary but the New permanent–it “remains” or endures. The point is not that the Old Covenant gradually dissipates, but that its obsolescence existed from the beginning. Grace abruptly replaces it by superior glory, which cannot be replaced. Nothing can add to the finished work of Christ. There is a covenantal contrast between life under the Law and life by the Spirit.

PRINCIPLE:

It is essential to distinguish between the economies of the Law and grace.

APPLICATION:

Sinful human beings cannot understand sin until God’s righteousness confronts them. That is why they need to look into the mirror of God’s Word to see themselves truly. The Law is not the means of salvation or sanctification but the instrument to bring people to a conviction of sin.

The original purpose of the Law was to lead Israel to God’s grace. However, the nation as a whole reduced the Law to legalism that stripped it of God’s grace.

There is a covenantal contrast between life under the Law and life by the Spirit. The Law condemns sinners by defining God’s standards of righteousness. It declared the will of God without giving the power to live it. The Law as a system ended with the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The New Covenant provides divine enablement to live under the control of God. The Law as a way of life ended, and an economy of the Spirit of grace has begun.